Human Reproduction vol.12 no.5 pp.974–979, 1997

Inconstant ascending testis as a potential risk factor for spermatogenesis in infertile men with no history of cryptorchism R.Mieusset1,3, L.E.Bujan1,2, G.Massat1, A.Mansat2 evaluated from examination of infants 3 months old (John Radcliffe Hospital Cryptorchism Study Group, 1992).and F.Pontonnier1 Whatever the treatment, hormonal or surgical, cryptorchism1Centre de Stérilite ́ Masculine and 2 CECOS-Midi-Pyrénées, is the only risk factor for testicular cancer that can be consideredCHU La Grave, 31052 Toulouse, France unequivocally established, with a mean relative risk of six3To whom correspondence should be addressed (Chilvers et al., 1986; Strader et al., 1988; Giwercman et al., 1989). Infertility or subfertility is a less well defined risk, withThe usual testicular location, either low or high in the discrepant data ranging from normal spermatogenesis (Puriscrotum, as well as testis ascent into suprascrotal position and O’Donnell, 1988) or fertility (Cendron et al., 1989; Leeat least once a week from a usually scrotal position reported et al., 1993) to a depression in sperm concentration (Chilversby the patient to occur spontaneously and regularly, were et al., 1986; Yavetz et al., 1992) or in subsequent fertilityrecorded in 85 fertile and 1014 infertile men, including 95 (Lipshultz, 1976). Finally, treatments of an undescended testiswith a history of cryptorchism. The frequency of at least have an unusual feature in that although the initial anatomicalone testis being in a high scrotal location was similar in result of orchidopexy or hormonal therapy is rapidly apparent,fertile (16.5%) and non-cryptorchid infertile (17%) me